What to Eat After Your Mouth Has Been Numbed

Sometimes a visit to the dentist results in a numb mouth for a couple of hours. Undergoing anesthesia to numb pain for a procedure can be inconvenient—in addition to drooling and difficulty speaking, you probably won’t be able to eat regular food since you may not be able to chew and move your mouth like normal due to the numbing. Having a numb mouth also comes with its own set of dangers–you might bite or chew your cheek or tongue without knowing it until the numbness wears off!

However, getting cavities filled, wisdom teeth removed, or infected teeth taken out are all procedures to be celebrated, even though you might not be able to feel your mouth afterward! Celebrate your healthy teeth with some of the fun, soft foods we advise sticking to in the hours following your procedure:

• Ice cream or sherbet. While your mouth is still numb, ice cream is a delicious, soft, easy to swallow food you can eat to celebrate your procedure being over! If you’re not a fan of ice cream, try a dish of sherbet or pudding. Even if you can’t feel your mouth, you can probably still taste the sweetness.
• Mashed potatoes. We think mashed potatoes are good any time of year, not just at Thanksgiving! Creamy, savory, and scrumptious, mashed potatoes are an excellent food to eat with a numb mouth.
• Applesauce. If you’re a fan of apples, we don’t advise eating the crunchy fruits right after anesthesia, but you can still consume some of the fruit in sauce form. It tastes just as good.
• Fruit/veggie smoothies. Sip away at your five servings of fruits and vegetables in liquid form! Healthy and yummy, smoothies are a great food alternative when your mouth has been numbed.
• Oatmeal. A staple breakfast food, oatmeal is a soft, filling, nutritious way to consume your calories after having a dental procedure steal all the feeling from your face.
• Soup. Where are all the soup lovers out there? From chicken noodle to potato chowder, as long as it’s soft, soup is the food for you post-anesthesia! With so many varieties out there, you’re sure to find a soup that suits your fancy.

These soft foods are only a handful of the many options you have at your disposal after your mouth has been numbed! From soft cheese to slushies, scrambled eggs, and hummus, there are hundreds of soft foods out there that are great to eat after undergoing dental anesthesia.

While most soft foods are on the table for you to choose from, be sure to follow the instructions from your dentist regarding the exact foods you eat in addition to straw use and consumption of acidic foods after your procedure. Depending on the work you have done on your teeth, you may have additional restrictions.

At Hillcrest Dental, our friendly and welcoming team has years of experience cleaning teeth and making sure you and your family have happy, healthy smiles. To learn more about the dental procedures we offer and our recovery tips, give us a call today at 931-552-2582!